How To Clean Up After Birds? 10 ways to Clean Bird Cage

How do you clean up after a pet bird? Ways to clean birds poop and leftovers?

Birds are MESSY. Very messy. They fling food, they poop, their feathers end up everywhere, and somehow, the walls near their cages become spackled with all sorts of goodies. Cleaning up after a bird could be a full-time job.

It’s easy to get lazy, which you’ll want to avoid since a dirty home can mean a sick bird! Here are some tips to help keep your bird room clean.

Time Required: 20 minutes daily, and up to an hour per bird weekly

What You Need:

Non-toxic cleaning supplies
A good vacuum or broom
Lots of paper towels or rags

Here’s How:

1. Change cage papers daily.

You can use newspaper, paper towels, butcher paper, or wax paper. Do not use corn cob bedding or other types of bedding.

These beddings tend to hold onto moisture and can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Birds also could ingest bedding like this.

Cage papers should be changed every day.

2. Vacuum or sweep the areas around the cage daily.

If you have carpeting, a good tip is to buy those plastic floor protectors used in offices that go under the desk chair.

I use these under my cages to protect the carpets. They clean up very easily!

You’ll want to keep a vacuum or broom near your cages so that you can clean up bits of food every day.

3. Use a good, non-toxic cleaner for spot treatments.

I use Poop-Off because it dissolves bird poop and stuck-on bits of food quickly, and it’s non-toxic. I’ve never used a better cleaner than Poop-Off! A few times a week I spot clean cages and around the cages to get up old poop and bits of food.

4. Once a week do a thorough cleaning.

Remove the birds, take out perches and dishes for cleaning, and clean all cage grates and bars. You may want to drag them all into the tub for cleaning.

You can use a non-toxic cleaner from the Oxyfresh line. Used properly, this cleanser will kill certain avian viruses, and it’s odorless.

5. Use a power toothbrush (one with a head that spins)

You can get these toothbrushes for around $7 at grocery stores.

They work great to work out the gunk that gets into corners and tight spaces in the cage.

6. Wipe down all cage surfaces to remove residue.

Even if you’re using a non-toxic cleanser, you still don’t want your bird putting her beak onto cage bars that have residue on them.

Be sure to rinse and dry all cage surfaces before returning your bird.

7. Wipe down all play stands and perches that your bird uses.

Also clean and wipe down all toys. I also use Poop Off for perches and toys, and I soak perches and toys in water and Oxyfresh as needed.

8. Rope perches can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

These perches can get pretty disgusting, as birds seem to love to wipe their beaks on them after eating, and they don’t wipe up easily.

Put the perch on the top rack and run it through a cycle in the dishwasher and it will come out sparkling new!

9. Keep cleaning supplies near the cage!

I have a cabinet in my bird room where I keep Poop-Off, Oxyclean Cleansing Gele, a roll of paper towels, some garbage bags,

a razor blade for scraping, extra newspapers, and a dustpan and brush. The vacuum is usually never too far away!

Having your supplies nearby makes cleaning day much easier.

10. Stick to a cleaning schedule.

Make cleaning up after the bird a part of your daily routine.

Birds are not accustomed to being exposed to their own droppings and old food, and they can get bacterial and other infections from an unclean environment.

Keep your bird happy and healthy by cleaning regularly.